


The Princess and The King's Shade

by GlowingMechanicalHeart



Category: Wonder Woman (Movies - Jenkins)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Angst with a Happy Ending, Attempt at World Domination, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, Mages, Secrets, Slow Build, Stolen Identity, Supernatural Elements, king!steve
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-07
Updated: 2020-05-06
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:22:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23527579
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GlowingMechanicalHeart/pseuds/GlowingMechanicalHeart
Summary: Diana can see what other people can’t. Ever since she was a little girl, she’d often times would see the shades of the people who had passed.**She grows knowing only peace. Until one day peace shatters on the neighboring kingdom and many people flock to Themyscira seeking refuge. Among them, a woman, who is scarred near her mouth and left cheek, Maru, she calls herself and recounts the tale of a powerful mage and a warring King who tried and failed to take over the Kingdom of Germania. But thanks to the valiant King Steven of the House of Trevor, they had been sent away. But some had still decided to leave and seek refuge in other kingdoms.And the hair on the back of her neck stands on edge.
Relationships: Diana (Wonder Woman)/Steve Trevor
Comments: 15
Kudos: 20





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [nani1986](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nani1986/gifts).



> ^For my darling friend, who wished for more AUs for Wondertrev. Enjoy!

Diana can see what other people can’t.

Ever since she was a little girl, she’d often times would see the shades of the people who had passed. Her mother had been shaken, her aunt had simply given her a stern look and said, “Guard your secret Diana, keep it close to your heart.”

And so she did. Because Aunt Antiope had never been wrong, nor had she ever given her bad advice. Her power came with an advantage that her mother found terribly useful: Spying. Because she was charming, she had managed to sway the ghosts and shades of the people at the palace to her side. And so, if she needed to know anything, she could simply ask a ghost to keep an eye and ears on something.

She had stopped a coup like that, saved her mother too.

And so she grows, she grows into a Princess Themyscira is proud of. She trains in the arts of war and diplomacy, she dances and embroiders, she is taught debate and philosophy, she does charity and spends time amongst her people. Her mother and her aunt are terribly proud of her when she exceeds all her tutors expectations.

She grows knowing only peace. Until one day peace shatters on the neighboring kingdom and many people flock to Themyscira seeking refuge. Among them, a woman, who is scarred near her mouth and left cheek, Maru, she calls herself and recounts the tale of a powerful mage and a warring King who tried and failed to take over the Kingdom of Germania. But thanks to the valiant King Steven of the House of Trevor, they had been sent away. But some had still decided to leave and seek refuge in other kingdoms.

And the hair on the back of her neck stands on edge. Because there is something wrong, something she can’t quite place and it grates. She asks the ghosts to follow the woman, they report of a sad and weepy woman who misses her homeland, nothing more.

So she asks the woman about the mage and king. And Maru speaks at length, Ares, the mage had used some spells to try and bring down the walls around the Kingdom, but had failed thanks to the resident mage, a woman named Etta. And Orm, the King from Oceana had met his match in battle by King Steven and his elite troupe of men.

And so, she mulls the questions that float in her head, bounces ideas with the ghosts and her aunt. Her aunt gives a knowing look, “You want to find out what really happened, don’t you?”

“Yes,” she admits. “Something is wrong and I don’t know what it is.”

“Your mother won’t like it. But for what it is worth, I support you.”

“Thank you aunty.”

*****

“No, I forbid it,” her mother had spoken. “You are not to leave, you could be in danger Diana, and if King Orm attacked Germania, how long it would be until he turns his eyes to Themyscira?”

She had been silent, but in the end, she looked at her mother and jutted her chin out, stood tall and proud, “What kind of person could I be, if I ignored the plight of other?”

Her mother’s shoulders had slumped and she had closed her eyes, “You wouldn’t be the daughter I raised,” her mother’s voice had barely been a whisper. When she looked up again, her mother’s eyes had been full of grief. “Go if you must, but please Diana, come home.”

“I will.”

*****

And so, she rides alone under the cover of the darkness. It takes her three weeks to arrive to Germania, and finds the people at the gates wary of her, but they let her in and she starts to observe the people as she rides into the heart of the kingdom.

Everything’s peaceful, almost too peaceful and it sets her teeth on edge.

She arrives at the palace, shows her mother’s seal and announces herself as an ambassador. They don’t need to know she’s the Princess, not quite yet. King Steven comes to welcome her himself and she takes a good look at him. He’s tall, taller than she is by half a head, blond hair slicked back and blue eyes, eyes that are sharp like a pair of daggers, a smile that unsettles her even further. Behind him, an old man trails behind. He looks like a kind grandfather and King Steven announces him as his advisor and closest confidant, Lord Morgan.

King Steven leads her into the castle, they speak nothing but pleasantries and she is as polite as her upbringing told her to be. But she watches and pays attention to every part of her surroundings.

King Steven gives her a room in the family wing, tells her to rest and orders a bath for her to relax and says he will have dinner sent to her chamber, “You must be tired after your journey,” his smile, while soft has the same edge of a dagger. “And you wish for some sleep, we can talk on the morrow.” He then bows to her and leaves her along in the room.

The bedchamber is grand, a light blue on the walls and the furniture is solid oak, elegantly crafted and tastefully decorated in cobalt blue with gold trimmings. A servant comes in, a plump, short woman who calls herself Etta and her eyes snap towards her.

“Like the mage?” She asks, curiously.

“Yes,” the woman laughs. “My mother liked the woman, so she named me that.”

She lets it be, and soaks in the bath. Feels the knots and her muscles begin to relax, or at least, some part of her relaxes. The other is still on edge. Wondering what she will find hidden. The castle had been silent of ghosts or shades, which is another thing that had raised goosebumps on her arms.

No castle was ever devoid of ghosts or shades. And yet, Castle of Trevor was silent as the grave. And it made her so wary and worried her to no end.

She lingers on the bath until the water grows cold, comes out and towels herself and then changes to a sleeping gown, finds that Etta had lit a fire and she sits in front of it so she can brush her hair and dried it that way.

She begins to hum a lullaby, trying to distract herself of anything that isn’t sleep. And then, she stops brushing her hair and sits upright, her stomach clenches, feels like someone’s watching her and there’s a noticeable chill in the air. Tell tell signs.

She turns towards the source and her eyes grow wide. Standing near the balcony, there is a man. Just an inch or two taller than her, on the lean side of things, sad blue eyes, blond hair that has been brushed to the side. She stands, “And who, may I ask, are you?”

The man’s face betrays shock and surprised, he walks towards her until he stands two feet away from her. “You can see me?” His voice is sad, but there is wonder and a desperate hope in it.

“Yes, I can see you stranger.”

The man looks on the verge of tears. “Oh praise the Gods then!” He gives her a hopeful smile. “A pleasure to meet you ma’am, I, am King Steven of the House of Trevor.”

Her brush falls from her hands.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “No, that’s…” she stumbles over her words. Then, she regains her wits and stands tall and proud. “Who really are you, and try not to lie to me.”

Diana’s eyes grew wide.

“No, that’s…” she stumbles over her words. Then, she regains her wits and stands tall and proud. “Who really are you, and try not to lie to me.” Her voice is firm, brokers no arguments and is grateful for all those lessons her mother taught her.

The shade of the man seems more amused than anything else. He simply arches a well groomed eyebrow, walks closer to her, lips curled upwards. “I am who I say I am. I am King Steven, of the House of Trevor. King of Germania.” He then tilts his head. “The real question is, who are _you_?”

She looks at the shade, she knows that shades and ghost can lie. They do lie, some with ill intent, but there is something that has raised goosebumps on her arms. “My name is Diana, an ambassador from Queen Hippolyta from Themyscira.” Until she knows if the shade is lying, she will not say who she really is.

The man’s eyebrows go up. “Really? Hippolyta is sending an ambassador, _that’s_ a surprise. Bad timing though, sorry to say.”

The tone of his voice makes her grind her teeth. “Queen Hippolyta is wise.” She says, but her voice is sharp, a warning for the shade.

The man shrugs. “Perhaps so, but the truth is, she could not have picked a worst time to try and forge an alliance – if that’s what she wants. If not, she still picked the wrong time. The House of Trevor is no more.” His voice trails and she can hear the grief in his voice. He turns his back to her and she feels pity for the man.

“And why is that?” She needs to thread carefully, she doesn’t want the shade to leave without answering some questions.

“Did you know, that these rooms were my sister’s when she was alive? Sickness took her away, my mother never really recovered from the blow. She would walk around with a cloud of sadness upon her. My father tried his best, but even he passed away soon after and my mother… well, she gave up. I was left all alone.”

She is torn between feeling terrible for the man, and being wary, she needs to be careful now, because if the man is telling the true, then it must have been a deep blow to loose his entire family so soon after each other. But if he is lying, she risks falling for the tramp of believing that story and be dragged into her own grave.

“But it wasn’t all that bad. I made friends, found a family entirely on my own. Darling Etta, best wizard that I could possibly find, brave and bold with softness to her that goes unmatched. Charlie, Napi and Sammy… my personal guards and closest friends and confidants. I could not ask for better people around me.”

“What happened to them?” She asks, hoping the man will know.

“Etta? She’s been controlled. That’s the woman who helped you early, she doesn’t remember her magic, nor can she see me.” The man turned and she could see that there were tear tracks on his translucent face. “The others? I don’t know. I wish I did and… well, I can’t leave this area of the palace at all. Besides, who could see me? You’re the first in months.”

“Surely, someone could see you?”

“No one has come over this area in a while.” The man shakes his head. “No one but _them_.” And the way he says them sends chills down her spine. “So why exactly should they help me, after all, they are the responsible for whatever this is.”

Her mind races, she needs to keep the man talking, the more he talks, the more information she can gather. “I must ask, is there a way to prove who you say you are? I want to believe you, but surely you can understand my position.”

The man nods, a look of resignation on his face. “I understand Lady Diana. And I hope you are prepared to thread carefully, these men are not people to trifle with. I made the mistake of underestimating them and now I’m here. And as to proof of who am I… well, I doubt that these bastards kept my family’s portraits around. But they don’t know about the one in this room. Look behind the fabric behind your headboard, the one that starts the canopy above the bed, there is a portrait of mine, I was younger then, but my face did not change much.”

She rushes towards the bed, and frantically pulls the at fine silk fabric. And there she finds it. A portrait of a teen boy who looks so much like the man she’s speaking to. She shivers, he’s not lying. She’s speaking to the actual King of Germania. “It’s you! You are not lying.” She sits, her head feels heavy and her world is spinning. “I don’t understand, but if I must navigate this, you need to tell me who they are.”

King Steven closes his eyes, silence falls on the room and she doesn’t push it. She lets the man take his time, it’s still early and she has no problem sleeping late if she must. She’s tired, she had been traveling to get to this place and now, she finds that she can’t sleep. This shadow or ghost has rattled her.

“The older man, is the wizard Ares.” Goosebumps raise once more on her arm. “The blond man? That’s Orm Marius. And they are sitting on my fucking throne.”

She feels her breath get caught on her throat. It couldn’t be, this shade must be lying. All the people who arrived at Themyscira said King Steven had thrown the invading army off. “How?” Her own voice is raspy to her ears.

“How? That I don’t know, someone must have betrayed us.” The man shrugs again. “Orm’s army had been defeated, at least that’s what we thought. Etta’s shields still stood firm. I was on my office two days after, checking a new law and I felt a hit to the back of my head and then, blackness.”

“Blackness.” She repeats.

“Next time I opened my eyes, I was this,” King Steven motions at himself. “And Orm was sitting quite comfortably on my own chamber. I tried to follow him, but every time I tried stepping outside of this wing, I would be pulled back. Etta is under an enchantment, that I can tell you, Ares spoke of it to Orm. And that’s all I know.”

“Assuming I believe you.” She starts and gather her courage, she knows there could be hell to pay if she were to anger this shade. He vibrates with power, even now. “How come you didn’t go to the great beyond and followed Hades’ call?”

“There was no call.”

No call? That simply couldn’t be. Hades had never been remiss as to abandon a soul, many rejected the call, but all the ghosts and shades she spoke to, they all had heard it. “How come a ghost did not hear the call, Hades would never leave a soul behind?” She wonders out loud.

Steven gives her a look. “I don't appreciate being called a liar, my Lady,” There is a harshness to his voice, but then Steven sighs, resignation written all over his face, “There was no call and… Lady Diana, I do not know what I am, how can _you_?”

And with that, he fades away and she all but falls into her bed in shock. And once more, she feels like someone pulled a rug from under her feet.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Tell me Lady Candy, what happened when King Orm attacked? I’m sure you must have heard something?” She tries and hopes that Etta takes the bait.

Diana passes a fitful night, she sleeps because she must, not because she truly wants to rest. And wakes feeling groggy, uneasy and she feels like she has not rested well. Because truth be told, she didn’t. Her dreams were full of nightmares.

What the shade who calls himself King Steven has spoken, has shaken her to her core. How is it possible, that a whole Kingdom has forgotten its ruler? It shouldn’t be possible. She has some knowledge of magic, of course she does, her mother saw that she had the best tutors in everything and her teacher, a woman called Menalippe had taught her well. She could defend herself with magic if there was need for her to do so.

But what worried her was, that a shade was trying to trick her. But what worried her more – if the shade spoke the truth- was that Orm and Ares had very taken a strong hold in Germania.

She would have had continued musing the unexpected turn of events, had it not been for the knock on her door. She put on a robe and went to the door just a bit, a hand holding a dagger at her back, “Yes?” She said before opening.

“Miss Prince,” it was Etta. And her voice made her arms fill with goosebumps. “I am here to assist you, King Steven wishes to break his fast with you.”

She hides the dagger and opens the door. “Thank you, Lady Candy.” She lets the woman in, but doesn’t lower her guard at all. Perhaps, if she threads carefully, she will find some sort of answer. Maybe Etta will say something that may give a clue as to this mystery.

Etta gives her a charming smile. “There is no need to thank me dearie, that’s why I’m here for.”

She lets herself be ushered towards the bed as Etta goes to her wardrobe. Etta pulls a two dresses, and shows them to her. She picks a blue and a violet dress, “I think I will go for the violet one.”

“Very well,” Etta immediately begins helping her, her movements clear and sure. There’s no awkwardness in her and she wonders how it is possible. This woman is not a servant, if the shade of King Steve didn’t lie, this was a mage who was trained for both peace and war time. It’s disconcerting to watch a mage brought down to servant, not there was something wrong with being a servant, but a mage being brought so low and with no memories? But Kings, Queens and Mages are held in such high regard that, she can’t quite fathom seeing one as servant.

“Tell me Lady Candy, what happened when King Orm attacked? I’m sure you must have heard something?” She tries and hopes that Etta takes the bait.

“Oh, nothing much I’m afraid,” Etta answers as she tightens the dress. “I was here, tending to my duties. The next thing I know, King Steven is in full armor and readying the army. Then he left, it was five whole days before he returned, but he did so victorious, thank the Gods! Now, let us do your hair, dearie, King Steven will be ready soon.”

She sits, pondering about what Etta has just said. She had ridden from the gates of Germania to the palace in half a day, at a normal pace. Either the battle had lasted longer than what had been expected or… or that was the time Orm and Ares used to do whatever is that they did. “Well, I’m glad your King is well,” she says and gives Etta a smile through the mirror.

“I am too, now, all ready! I’m going to take you to the dinning hall, the King should probably be ready and waiting now, he’s quite quick.”

She lets herself be led into an elegant dinning hall. The walls are white, there are crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, floor to ceiling windows that made the whole room seem lighter. But she can’t quite stop herself from being worried. Did she just walk into a trap?

But the King isn’t there yet. But she doesn’t wait long before the man who calls himself King Steven enters, she stands on courtesy, it would be ill-advised if she didn’t, she’s not a Princess here, she’s an ambassador. “Good morning, your majesty.”

The King smiles, even that polite smile seems off. “Good evening Lady Prince, I trust that you slept well?”

She smiles in return, “Very well, the bedchamber is terribly comfortable,” she says as she begins to inspect the food that is placed in front of her, fruits and oat porridge, eggs, rashers of bacon, hot bread and several jams. She opts for the porridge with jam. “Thank you kindly for the hospitality.”

The King’s smile widens. “There is no need to thank me, Lady Prince. After all, you are a trusted envoy of Queen Hippolyta, and I am sure that we will work quite well together to make an alliance that would benefit both our kingdoms.” He says and lifts his cup in a toast.

She rises hers and inclines her head in acknowledgment. “To a fruitful alliance.” They continue to eat and talk, she hesitates to ask about the invasion, but she figures that is best to do it now. “My King, if you don’t mind,” she starts, wondering if it is wise to ask now. “What happened with King Orm? The people who came to Themyscira spoke about your bravery, and I will admit to my own curiosity.”

The King gives her a look, for a moment, she almost catches _something_ on his face that she can’t quite place. And she is wary, her heart is pounding so loudly that she thinks it’s a wonder that the King doesn’t hear it. “King Orm had a small army,” he starts. “Smaller than my own, I will admit that the mage Ares gave us troubles, but our dearest departed Etta and Lord Morgan did their best and fortunately, they took the mage Ares down.”

She feels a chill down her spine, the way that the King mentions Etta dying as if it were nothing, but she is silent. She needs to know the truth of things and as such, she can ill-afford a wrong move. She nods, “I am glad that you managed a victory, even in Themyscira we had heard of King Orm and the mage Ares. I’m sorry for mage Etta’s passing.”

“She was very brave,” the King says looking away. “But in the end, despite her best efforts, it wasn’t enough. Fortunately, Lord Morgan is a talented mage himself. I could not ask for a better councilor and mage.”

“Then I am glad that he was close by,” she says and takes a gulp of her tea. “I was wondering your Majesty, would there be any objection should I use the library during my stay?”

“Of course not, Lady Prince.” The King smiles. “You are our honored guest, the whole castle is at your disposal, with the obvious exception of my chamber and Lord Morgan’s…”

“My King!” A servant rushes forward and bows. “Forgive the interruption, but Lord Morgan wishes to speak to you most urgently.”

The King turns to the servant, “Tell him I’m on my way.” He looks at her again. “My apologies Lady Prince, it seems like duty calls. And like I said, if there is any place that you wish to see, ask Etta, she will show you…” he begins to walk to the doors. “The castle is at your disposal, save my chamber and Lord Morgan’s… and oh! The tower on the East Wing, I’m afraid it’s in serious need of repair and you might hurt yourself should you go there. Other than that? Roam freely. Excuse me.”

“Thank you, your Majesty.” She says and watches him leave. She didn’t quite like the look he made when he was going out, she had caught something again. Micro expressions that she couldn’t quite place.

Now more than ever, she is full of determination to speak with any and all shades and ghosts in this castle. Something’s wrong in Germania, but more precisely, in Castle Trevor _itself_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading, hope you guys enjoy. Feel free to drop a comment if you wish!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, hope you guys enjoy. Don't hesitate to comment.


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